Wagon-tongue support



1 R... o H S w L m EG N m w G A w (No Model.)

Patented J an. 30

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY O-EELLS, OF JOPLIN,'MISSOURI.

WAGON-TONGUE SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,900, dated January30, 1894.

Application filed June2, 1898. Serial No. 476.349. (No'modeL) To allwhom it may, concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY O. EELLS, a citizen of the United States,anda resident of Joplin, in the county of Jasper and State of Mlssouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon TongueSupports; and I do hereby declare that the followng lsa full, clear, andexact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeinghad to the accompanylngdrawings, which form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved tongue-support. Fig. 2 is .a plan or top yiew of the same. Fig.3 is a longitudinal sectional View on the Vertical plane indicated bythe broken line marked -00 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionalView, on line y y in Figs. 2 and 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of theinner end of the tongue, with its braces and spring-bearing.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My invention relates to that type of tonguesupportsinwhich theapproximately level position of the tongue or pole is maintained bymeans of a spring, or springs, bearing against the inner end of thetongue, which is hung on a bolt or fulcrum-pin inserted horizontallythrough its inner end, and where it (the tongue or pole) is fastenedbetween the hounds of the front axle; and my improvement consists in thenovel construction and combination of parts of a device of that type orclass, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, the letters A A denote the hounds of thefront axle, A, between which the tongue, B, is hung upon the horizontalfulcrum-pin or bolt 0, which takes its bearings in said hounds. Theinner end of thetongue hasdiverging reinforcing braces, D D, whichimpinge upon the inner sides of the hounds A A and are connected attheir rear end by the crosspiece E, which has a semicircular recess, 6,for the purpose herein-' after stated.

To the under side of the tongue B is fas- 5 tened a bar or block F, therear end of which projects beyond the recessed crosspiece E so as toform a step or bearingf, in alignment with the semicircular recess e,for the lower end of a coiled spring G, the upper end of which takes itsbearing against the middle under side of a cross-bar H, above andbetween the hounds A A. The ends of this cross-bar H are notched at h h,and inserted withits notched ends loosely into staples or keepers, I I,fastened upon the hounds A A opposite to each other.

' Through the middle of cross-bar H, and extended down through thespring G, is inserted a guide-bolt J, the lower end of which passesthrough an aperturej, in the step or ofisetf on the under side of thetongue, and is nutted to theunder side of the same, so as to give theapertured step or projection f free play up and down, guided by bolt Jwhich passes loosely through the aperture j. The semicircular recess eout in the rear crosspiece E appertaining to the tongue, provides roomfor the spring G and prevents chafing or wear against its sides.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,the operation of my improved wagon-tongue support will readily beunderstood. It will be observed that the tongue is maintained in itsprojecting position between the team by the stepped block or bearing F,spring G, and cross-bar l-I, so as to absolutely relieve the team fromall strain. At the same time, the free end of the pole can easily beraised or lifted, due to the vertical play of the cross bar H in itsside staples or keepers I I, which permits the crossbar to drop insaidkeepers, with its spring G, when the free end of the tongue is thrown inan upward direction, so that the spring will not interfere at all withthe raising or lifting of the free end of the tongue; but when this isdropped back into its normal position, spring G will come into play atonce, and sup port the free end of the tongue at the proper elevation.This elevation or angle at which the tongue is carried, may be adjustedat will by means of leather or metal washers (not shown) that can beplaced upon the guidebolt J either between the upper end of spring G andthe under side of cross-bar H, or between the lower end of the springand the projecting step or bearing f against which the under side of thespring rests.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States The combination, in a wagon-tonguesupport of the described type, of the front axle A having hounds A Aprovided with the staples or keepers I I; the pole or tongue B havingbraces D D, recessed crosspiece E and b0ttom piece F forming arearwardly-projecting apertured step or bearing f; the fulcrun1-pin orbolt 0; vertical guide bolt J; coiled spring SIDNEY o. EELLS.

Witnesses:

CALVIN NIGKELL, JAMES P. MEAD.

